The Pritchett-Dunphy-Tucker clan is a wonderfully large and blended family with Jay Pritchett sitting at the head. By his side is his young, vivacious second wife Gloria, who resists his old-fashioned ways -- an impulse that will become all the more interesting now that he and Gloria have a new baby of their own. This exciting addition will bring more adventures to the family just as Gloria's son, Manny, is about to embark on an adventure of his own as he enters high school. Jay's grown daughter, Claire, and her husband, Phil, also have their son, Luke, heading to high school; their middle daughter, Alex, is full steam ahead on the college track, and the eldest, Haley, is back home figuring out her future. With the kids all growing up, this new chapter means Claire can explore returning to the workforce, which will have its fair share of missteps and victories. And this will be a big year for Claire's brother and Jay's grown son, Mitchell, who alongside his loving partner, Cameron, and daughter Lily, will have a lot of reasons to celebrate. Together these three families give us an honest and often hilarious look into the sometimes warm, sometimes twisted, embrace of the modern family.

Tim Goodman

Ken Tucker

Modern Family works because it does something the network sitcom hasn't managed in years: It offers a comic equation for almost every audience segment, while never blanding out the characters for mass consumption.

James Poniewozik

Heather Havrilesky

Instead of the usual family sitcom curse of clichés and bad "Full House" jokes, Modern Family captures the absurdities, quirks and freakish flaws of today's extended family in ways that feel lively, unique and just dark and mean-spirited enough to be...well, accurate.

Linda Stasi

Peter Swanson

Most of the episodes so far have ended with a simulacrum of a group hug, an acknowledgement that, even though they don't always get along, this family loves one another. So far, these moments have worked on the show, but the formula could get tired.

Matthew Gilbert

Mary McNamara

Modern Family is sharp, timely and fresh, complicated enough to be interesting but with a soft, sweet center because, and I'm speaking loudly so even cable channels can hear, there is nothing wrong with that.

Alan Sepinwall

Ellen Gray

ABC is taking it one step at a time as it uses its biggest hit, "Dancing with the Stars," to give three of those shows a fighting chance. At least one of them actually deserves it. That would be Modern Family.

Jonathan Storm

Any one of these families has the potential to power a decent sitcom, but Modern Family manages to juggle all three in a balancing act that is not just funny, but heartwarming, and when was the last time you saw that on TV?